Bombs Sent To Homes Of Clintons And Obamas In US

Packages believed to hold explosive devices were delivered Wednesday to the homes of former Democratic US presidents and the New York office of CNN.

The packages were intercepted and taken away to be detonated, officials said. There were no injuries.

CNN reported that the package intercepted in its mailroom was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and frequent commentator on the network.

Today NYPD and all of our law enforcement partners responded to reports of a suspicious package at @CNN. Responding officers identified a device that appeared to be a live explosive device. The NYPD Bomb Squad responded, secured the device, and removed it for investigation.

The package sent to the home of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill Clinton was intercepted outside their residence in Chappaqua, New York. The package sent to former president Barack Obama was sent to his office in Washington, the Secret Service said on Wednesday.

The CNN newsroom in New York City was evacuated out of an abundance of caution, the network said.

CNN said authorities were treating the device as a real explosive, citing a law enforcement source. After the evacuation from the Time Warner Center in Manhattan, the network continued to broadcast from outside the building.

"We are working with authorities to determine the severity of the situation," CNN president Jeff Zucker said in a statement quoted by the broadcaster.

Zucker said the company was checking other bureaus worldwide for explosives as a precaution.

Brennan said in August that Trump's actions were "treasonous" and described him as "drunk on power."

Former president Bill Clinton was at home when the package sent to his residence was found, according to news reports. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton was campaigning in Florida.

The Secret Service, the law enforcement agency that protects current and former US governmental officials, said the packages were identified during routine mail screening procedures.

Neither of the Clintons nor Obama were at risk of receiving the packages, the Secret Service said.

The Secret Service, along with New York and Washington law enforcement agencies, are investigating to determine who sent the packages, which were similar to one found on Monday at the home of the billionaire philanthropist George Soros in New York.

Soros' foundation on Tuesday linked the packages to "hateful rhetoric" dominating US politics.

While Trump has not reacted publicly, the White House said he had been briefed on the situation.

"These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

Sanders said the US Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating "and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards."